[Mldxcc] FT4TA - West Coast Pilot Comments

[Richard Karlquist]

Some comments:

Never heard them on 20M except when I worked them at 0235Z long path.
I believe I checked long path previously when not hearing them.  Maybe
they also need to be beaming long path.  At the time I worked them,
they were also audible on short path, but several S units down.  I
do like the fact that long path doesn't go through EU.

They were extremely strong on 17M this morning, but I couldn't bust the
pileup.  As early as 1000Z, they were audible weakly on 17M.

Worked them between 1600 and 1700Z this morning on 10M and 12M.
Decent sigs, but not like 17M.  On 12M, I called them over 30 kHz
above their frequency, just inside the band (24986.6 kHz).

They were very strong on 30M the first night, but were running RTTY.
They were audible weakly during the day working EU on CW.

I also see that I have worked 5R8M on 30 through 10 this week,
but nothing on the low bands.  They were very strong on 30 meters.

I am currently hearing nothing on 3523 at my sunset, while a raging 
pileup is
apparently in progress according to spots.  Actually, I am hearing
something on 3523:  "UP".  At least I am tuned to the right frequency.

Some of the ops are going really fast on CW.  When conditions are
marginal, this can subtract several dB.

Rick N6RK

-------------------------------------------------------

On 2014-10-31 15:23, John Miller wrote:
> As you know by now, the FT4TA DXpedition is well underway.  They have
> been managing to keep 4 stations going efficiently for the last 24
> hours.
> 
> Their antennas:
> 
> 160m:  Vertical with hat built on 18m Spiderbeam pole
> 80m:   2x phased verticals built on 18m Spiderbeam poles & DVA-80 by
> DX Engineering
> 40m:   4 square array built on Spiderbeam 12m poles
> 30m:   4 square array built on Spiderbeam 12m poles
> 20m:   2-elements Vertical Dipole Array built on Spiderbeam 12m poles
> 17m:   2-elements Vertical Dipole Array built on Spiderbeam 12m poles
> 15m:   2-elements Vertical Dipole Array built on Spiderbeam 12m poles
> 12m:   2-elements Vertical Dipole Array built on Spiderbeam 12m poles
> 10m:   2-elements Vertical Dipole Array built on Spiderbeam 12m poles
> They're using K3's + OM2000 amplifiers as the main stations.  They
> have logged QSOs on every Band, and have transmitted in all Modes.
> They are currently on 160M -- pretty exciting if you can land them.
> The ops are efficient and friendly.
> 
> Monitoring the Bands these last 24 hours, they've successfully
> targeted the West Coast several times, especially on 17M SSB.  They
> seem to be taking up most of the Band on 17M to spread out the pileup,
> which is causing some problems.  I've asked the team to consider using
> a max of 20 KC spread on all bands, but at this early stage, the
> pileups are unruly.
> 
> I've also requested that when they target the West Coast, to name a
> specific listening frequency for us, instead of a broad range.  Too
> much time can be wasted trying to figure out where to transmit.
> 
> In addition, I've asked the team to take advantage of the Long Path at
> their  sundown around 1430 UTC when there is a good window to the West
> Coast on 160M and 80M.
> 
> Bandplan is here:   http://www.tromelin2014.com/en/bandplan/
> 
> Online Log:  please check here for updates:
> http://www.tromelin2014.com/en/online-log/
> 
> Propagation:  Generate your personal profile here:
> https://www.k6tu.net/?q=node/add/dx-prediction-ft4ta
> 
> In checking my own log for past QSOs with Mayotte, Madagascar, and
> Reunion --- all in the neighborhood of Tromelin -- I note the
> following optimum UTC times and Bands:
> 
> 10M	1600-1800 UTC
> 12M	1500-1600 UTC
> 15M	1600-1700 UTC
> 17M	1700-1800 UTC
> 20M	1800-1900 UTC
> 30M	0300-0400 UTC
> 40M	1400-1500 UTC
> 
> I pass this information on as FYI only.  When in doubt, (1) watch the
> DX Clusters and (2) listen to what's coming through your headphones.
> 
> Overall, I think the FT4TA DXpedition is off to a great start.
> Hopefully the propagation Gods will stay with us for the next week or
> so.
> 
> If you have any specific requests for the FT4TA team, please let me 
> know.
> 
> 73,
> John, K6MM
> FT4TA West Coast Pilot
> 
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